Gosh Almighty

I am feeling crabby and cranky this morning - there are storms coming in quickly, and I have not been sleeping well lately. Both of those things are contributing to my mood and my attitude as I am getting ready for my morning commute. It is Thursday which means that I have four groups today and then two groups tomorrow. My individual session will be cancelled due to a field trip tomorrow, so I will have a little bit more time to clean and organize things. I have been trying to bring things home slowly, but it is time to ramp up the purge. Nine weeks left after tomorrow to get my stuff back here.

Emotions are running high at work right now. The aforementioned field trip has become a matter of contention for so many, including the principal who sent out an email about making sure that state testing was finished or no trip! So, there must be some folks who have not finished their state testing yet. As an educational enrichment specialist, I do not have to worry about state testing (whew - I knew there was a reason I did not become a teacher!), so that email was not directed at me, but I felt it's scorch when I read it. 

So, emotions are flying all over the place, and we are now adding storms to the mix. I think today might be an interesting day.

My favorite thing to do on days like these is to drop the requirements and engage the bodies of my clients in something motor-focused. This week, we are hitting balls with sound shapes to the music we are using for some light lyric analysis later in the session. At least, that is what I am doing with some of my clients. Others are engaging in Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes and Toes, Knees, Shoulders, Head. We are revisiting songs that we learned when we were little to help us engage in movements and then introducing new songs into the session. Students who have paid little attention to me are now starting to engage. I have to remember this for the next sessions. Something familiar followed by something new - the novelty sandwich!

It is amazing what you forget when you get into a routine. Getting ready to leave this routine has provided me with ways to shake up my personal and professional complacency. This is a good thing, and it has happened several times over my career. There are times when I just need things to shake a bit before I settle again. This is a shaking, earthquaking time for me, and I am relishing it all!

It is time to head into the pre-storm world and get music therapy going for my students. I also need to empty my car this morning so I can fill it up again tomorrow when it is sunny again. My house is filling up and my office is emptying. It is a good thing.

Let's do this, folks!! We can do it! Happy Thursday to those who celebrate.